GUWAHATI, Sept 10: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken a significant step by forming a joint committee to investigate the alleged operation of industries within protected Reserve Forests (RF) under the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Central Assam’s Morigaon district.
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is renowned for its dense population of Indian rhinoceroses and other wildlife. The presence of industrial operations within its vicinity has raised alarm due to the potential disruption to animal habitats, the risk of pollution, and the violation of forest and environmental regulations.
The NGT has also asked the committee to submit its report within October 4.
Based on a bunch of complaints received from Utpal Saikia and several others Principal Bench of the NGT comprising Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad passed the order on Tuesday.
The petition alleges that industrialist Dilip Chetry has constructed a brick kiln using coal as fuel and established an industrial zone within the boundaries of the two reserve forests – Bada Mayang Reserve Forest, spanning 1,191.86 hectares, and Pobitora Reserve Forest, covering 1,584.76 hectares.
“Before taking any further action in the matter we find it appropriate to obtain a factual report and for this purpose constitute a Joint Committee comprising representative of Secretary, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi; Member Secretary, Assam State Pollution Control Board; representative of Central Pollution Control Board; and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife, Assam,” the NGT said in the order.
“Central Pollution Control Board shall be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance of this order.
The committee shall collect relevant information after visiting site, and submit a factual report within one month with Registrar General of this Tribunal,” the order stated.
It was alleged that industrialist Dilip Chetry is creating an industrial zone amidst 2 Blocks of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and trying to establish brick-kiln using coal a fuel. It is also said that an attempt is also been made to establish cement factories and stone quarries in the said area.
A report of Forest Range Officer, Pobitora Wildlife Range sent to Regional Forest Officer on May 4, 2023, has reported that he found brick-kiln at Sativeti area on May 1, 2023, which is surrounded by paddy fields of villagers and is about 500 meters away from the boundary of Rajamayog hill point of Wildlife Sanctuary and falls within proposed eco-sensitive zone of protected area.
Another letter sent by Divisional Forest Officer to Assam State Pollution Control Board (PCBA) on March 4, 2023, has also been placed on record whereby Divisional Forest Officer forwarded inventory report of industries situated in the proposed eco-sensitive zone of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary as received from Range Officer, Pobitora Wildlife Range.
It was stated that the sanctuary is constituted of two reserve forests namely Bada Mayang Reserve Forest (area 1191.86 hectares) and Pobitora Reserve Forest (area 1584.76 hectares) and government land (area 1104 hectares). The said area was declared as a wildlife Sanctuary by the Assam government notification on March 17, 1998.
